she announced into the mirror. "Will you come, too, Uncle Phil?"

"No, thank you, dear. Run along and tell Dick we expect him back to
supper with us."

The doctor held open the door for his niece, then turned back to
Ted, who was also on his feet now, murmuring something about going
out for a stroll.

"Wait a bit, son. Suppose you tell me first precisely what happened
last night."

"Did tell you." The boy fumbled sulkily at the leaves of a magazine that
lay on the table. "I took the car out and, when I was speeding like Sam
Hill out on the Florence road, I struck a hole. She stood up on her ear
and pitched u--er--_me_ out in the gutter. Stuck her own nose into a
telephone pole. I telephoned the garage people to go after her this
morning. They told me a while ago she was pretty badly stove up and it
will probably take a couple of weeks to get her in order." The story came
out jerkily and the narrator kept his eyes consistently floorward during
the recital.

"Is that all?"

"What more do you want?" curtly. "I said I was sorry, if that is what
you mean."

"It isn't what I mean, Ted. I assume you didn't deliberately go out to
break my car and that you are not particularly proud of the outcome of
your joy ride. I mean, exactly what I asked. Have you told me the